TORONTO - Canadians would rather have another federal election than see a coalition government headed by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion take power, according to a poll released December 5, 2008 by COMPAS for Canadian Business magazine.

Nearly 70% of the 505 Canadians surveyed said they prefer to go to the polls again - with the strongest support for a new election coming from Western Canadians. The results suggest that Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper would win 51% of the votes were Canadians to cast ballots today, winning majorities in both the West and in Ontario.

The Conservatives would also beat the Liberals by a wide margin in Quebec, although the Bloc Quebecois would maintain its dominance in the province, the survey showed.

Parliament is currently prorogued until late January, however a proposed coalition government comprising the Liberals, NDP and the Bloc Quebecois has not given up its goal of bringing down the Conservatives. For more survey results and views on the current political situation from Canadians, go to www.canadianbusiness.com/compas.